Biomedical engineers improve medical care and affect patients' lives through the methods of engineering and technology. They design diagnostic equipment and artificial body parts, train medical personnel on the use of their inventions and provide technical support. A biomedical engineering education is interdisciplinary because it combines biology and medicine with technology. The minimum job requirement is typically a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering, but some biomedical engineers have graduate degrees.

Bachelor's Degrees

Bachelor's degrees in biomedical engineering normally take four years of full-time study. Degree programs receive their accreditation from ABET, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. A typical BME program includes classes in chemistry, engineering analysis, calculus, biomaterials science, biomedical device engineering and physiology. Lab sections are also required, and many bachelor's programs include practical experience in internships or co-ops with hospitals, for example. Although a biomedical engineering degree is preferred, some employers hire graduates of different engineering specialties and give them on-the-job training.

Master's Degrees

A master's degree in biomedical engineering provides an alternate path to the career for graduates of other engineering disciplines. In addition, some master's programs provide advanced training in a specialty to those with a bachelor's in BME. At the University of Southern California, for example, full-time students can complete a general Master of Science in biomedical engineering in two years or less. However, the university also offers specialty master's degrees for those who already have a bachelor's in biomedical engineering. For example, students with a bachelor's in BME can complete a master's with specialization in neuroengineering in one year of full-time study.

Doctorates

Although not required for most jobs, some biomedical engineers have a Ph.D. A doctorate in biomedical engineering normally emphasizes research, and the time required depends on the particular program and a student's progress. However, the doctoral program at the University of Southern California, for example, takes four to five years of full-time work after the bachelor's degree. Students must complete 60 units of coursework, prepare a thesis based on original research and defend the thesis orally. Alternately, some biomedical engineers complete a Doctor of Medicine degree. The M.D. normally takes four years after the bachelor's degree, not including a residency.

Career Facts

Biomedical engineers receive financial rewards for their education. Their average annual salary was $91,200 in 2012, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the top 10 percent earned $139,450 per year or more. The job outlook for biomedical engineers is also highly favorable. The BLS predicts a 62 percent increase in positions between 2010 and 2020, compared to 14 percent on average for all jobs. Growth will result both from the expansion of the field of biomedical engineering and the aging U.S. population, which will have greater need of products such as artificial joints.